Financial Leadership for Growth

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About This Event

Join us for an evening with Michael Rodriguez, a seasoned CFO turned founder who brings a unique perspective on financial leadership during rapid growth. Having served as CFO at two successful scale-ups before founding his own company, Michael understands both the financial rigour required and the practical realities founders face.

This isn't your typical "accounting 101" session. Michael will share real-world frameworks for making critical financial decisions when you're growing fast, resources are tight, and every choice feels make-or-break. You'll leave with practical tools you can implement immediately.

What You'll Learn

• Cash Flow Management: Forecasting techniques and strategies to avoid cash crunches during growth
• Unit Economics: Understanding and optimizing the metrics that actually matter for your business
• Fundraising Decisions: When to raise, how much to raise, and alternatives to traditional VC funding
• Financial Planning: Building rolling forecasts and scenario planning that helps you make better decisions
• Pricing Strategy: Financial models to test and optimize your pricing as you scale
• Cost Structure: Understanding fixed vs. variable costs and making smart trade-offs
• Financial Reporting: The key reports you need and how to use them (without hiring a CFO)
• Investor Relations: Communicating financial performance to investors and board members

About Michael Rodriguez

Michael Rodriguez brings 15 years of financial leadership experience, including roles as CFO at two Australian scale-ups that successfully exited. Three years ago, he founded FinPath, a financial planning platform for mid-market companies, which now serves over 200 businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

Michael is known for making complex financial concepts accessible to non-financial founders. He holds a CPA, has an MBA from INSEAD, and regularly advises early and mid-stage companies on financial strategy. He's also a mentor at Startmate and has been featured in AFR Boss and StartupDaily.

Who Should Attend

This event is perfect for founders who:

• Feel overwhelmed by financial planning and decision-making
• Are considering raising capital but unsure of timing or amount
• Struggle with cash flow management despite growing revenue
• Need to make the business case for key hires or investments
• Want to understand their numbers well enough to lead confidently
• Are preparing for due diligence or investor conversations

Event Schedule

• 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Welcome drinks and networking
• 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Financial fundamentals for founders
• 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Interactive case studies and group work
• 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Q&A and troubleshooting specific challenges
• 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Networking with drinks and appetizers

What You'll Receive

• Financial planning templates and spreadsheet tools
• Cash flow forecasting framework
• Fundraising decision checklist
• Key metrics dashboard template
• Recommended resources and tools

Venue

Stone & Chalk is Australia's leading fintech and innovation hub, located in the heart of Sydney's CBD. The venue provides a professional yet startup-friendly environment perfect for our community sessions.

Address: 11 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Getting There: Wynyard Station is a 2-minute walk. Paid parking available at Wynyard Park Plaza.